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Turbulence

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NTSB finding section · Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena

All 430 cases333 in the probable cause
Cases
430
In the probable cause
333 (77%)
Fatal cases
71
NTSB code
030320

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '030320') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Subsections · 5

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT left(f.\"findingCode\", 8) AS code, max(f.\"tier4Name\") AS name,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '030320') AND f.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY cases DESC, code"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '030320'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '030320') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 430

NTSB DCA26LA286Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEmbraer S A ERJ 170-200 LL · Sanford, FLAn encounter with convectively induced turbulence during cruise flight in an area of forecast thunderstorm activity.Jul 16, 2026 · N271SY · No damageNTSB CEN26LA209Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBellanca 7GCBC · Jonesboro, ARThe student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to practice slow flight maneuvers at an…May 30, 2026 · N90932 · Substantial damageNTSB WPR26LA165Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAeronca 7FC · Bend, ORThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the rotor wash from a nearby helicopter.Apr 17, 2026 · N7541B · Substantial damageNTSB DCA26LA185Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-8 · Providence, RIThe airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant.Apr 16, 2026 · N8787K · No damageNTSB DCA26LA167Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 787-9 · Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)An unanticipated encounter with clear air turbulence while in cruise flight.Mar 29, 2026 · N23994 · No damageNTSB DCA26LA165Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus A320-232 · Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)The airplane’s encounter with turbulence resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant who was not seated due to completion of arrival compliance checks.Mar 19, 2026 · N605JB · No damageNTSB CEN26LA085Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportQuad City Challenger · Greenbrier, ARThe non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing.Jan 6, 2026 · N194JR · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA341Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus A321 · Las Vegas, NVThe airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant who was standing at the time of the encounter.Sep 30, 2025 · N670NK · No damageNTSB WPR25LA287Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBriseno Samuel Kolb Firefly · Cave Junction, ORThe non-certificated pilot's improper landing flare in turbulent wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.Sep 13, 2025 · N139SB · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA323Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-7H4 · Port Orange, FLAn encounter with convective turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant.Sep 12, 2025 · N919WN · No damage
See all 430 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '030320'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.